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OCTOBER 2013
Family matters A time for giving thanks and a time to give As we wrap up the Thanksgiving holiday and give thanks for all the support we’ve received this year, we wanted to take a moment to wish you all a very happy holiday season. May you be surrounded by loved ones and find time for sharing treasured moments together. Let us all keep perspective on what is truly important in our lives and use this season to celebrate those intangible gifts we are blessed with. These are trying economic times for us all, but more difficult for those in our community who live daily with their essential needs unmet. Bethesda Project’s mission to find and care for the abandoned poor and to be family with those who have none is more alive than ever today. We have opened up our winter shelters at full capacity and are ready to open up the Bethesda Café at Broad Street Ministry on December 15. Part of the Bethesda Beacon, these winter programs engage shelterresistant homeless individuals through patient and persistent outreach and by providing daytime drop-in
hours to offer referrals to housing and treatment programs. Last year we had an extraordinary success rate – moving 30% of the 378 men and women that stayed at the Café to better housing and treatment. Your continued support of Bethesda Project makes this possible. On this #GivingTuesday, would you consider making a gift to Bethesda Project this holiday season? Visit http://bethesdaproject.org/get-involved/contribute to donate today. We thank you and wish you a great holiday season!
Guest column: In his own words
My name is Michael and I live at My Brother's House. I was raised in a loving family with two parents and a dog. I am college educated and worked in the hospitality field for many years, something I enjoyed very much. In 2000 I became very ill. It was not long after that I found myself homeless. I did what most homeless do— imposed on family and friends which turned into a nightmare. After being on the streets I was ready to end my life and I tried, but God had other plans. After watching me walk aimlessly, Bethesda staff member Misty— my angel—offered to help me and placed me at Bethesda. My life has changed so much since. I catch myself singing sometimes I am so happy. My dear friends, I pray none of you will ever know how horrible it is to find a private place to perform daily hygiene. Your continued prayers and contributions allow people like me to hold on to human dignity. Thank you.
20 fundraising ideas to support Bethesda Project Want to help support Bethesda Project but don’t know where to start? Here are some fun ideas to help you get started! For more tips, visit BethesdaProject.org. 1. Start now: The earlier you begin fundraising, the more success you will have. Start by creating a pledge card that you can distribute to your coworkers, family and friends. Make sure to explain you are raising money for Bethesda Project and give a summary of who we are and what we do. 2. Make your own contribution: Lead by example and make your pledge first. 3. House/dinner party: Make fundraising fun! Host a dinner party or throw a fundraising party. Collect donations and entertain at the same time. Create a theme (like a costume party) and have fun. Invite 10 or more of your friends. Have each guest donate $50, spend no more than $20 per person on food and you’ll have $300 or more in donations by the end of the night. 4. Corporate matching gift: Ask your company to match the amount of pledges you receive from your coworkers and ask all donors if their company has a matching gift program. 5. Corporate sponsorship: Identify one of the major companies in your area and ask them to support Bethesda Project. 6. Fundraise with social media: Utilize your online networks to raise money towards your goal with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. 7. Colorful sponsor letters: Stand out among bills and junk mail and print your fundraising letters on colored paper. Send them in colored envelopes too. 8. Signing your correspondence: Add a short sentence at the bottom of your email signature saying that you’re supporting Bethesda Project, add a link to our “Donate Now” page, and ask for a pledge. 9. In Memory of/In Honor of cards: Order these cards directly from our website and use them during the holidays and life events. If you have an upcoming birthday, shower or wedding, consider asking your guests for a donation to Bethesda Project in lieu of gifts. 10. Meet the press: Does your company distribute a newsletter? Does your company have intra-office email? Take advantage of these…it’s a perfect way to get the word out and even get your company involved. 11. Get an article in your local paper: Call us at 215-
985-1600 to talk about media outreach opportunities in your local newspaper and how to successfully get your story placed. Include information about how people can contribute and have a photo ready to go! 12. Raffle: Hold a raffle where everyone that contributes is entered to win a special item, such as a homemade quilt or baseball tickets. Ask a local store manager what the hot-selling item is and see if he or she would be willing to donate a percent of the sales from that item to Bethesda Project or donate an item to be raffled. 13. Garage sale: Do you really need all that extra stuff taking up space in your garage, attic and/or basement? Gather it up, ask your friends to do the same and pick a weekend to hold a garage sale where the proceeds go to Bethesda Project. 14. Bake sale: Become Julia Child or Mrs. Fields and host a bake sale with your friends at a garage sale, at work, school, or at a religious organization’s function. 15. The “extra change in my pocket” box: Create little boxes for you, your friends and family and have them place it on their dresser, desk and at work to collect spare change. It can add up quickly! 16. Voice mail message: This will alert everyone who calls you that you’re up to something special! Let them know that you need their support! 17. Your local restaurant: Ask your favorite local restaurant to host a fundraising dinner for you. They supply the food and you supply the pledge cards. Ask if you can place a money jar at the front of the restaurant: Check with the manager. They may be willing to place the jar in a high-traffic area so many patrons will see it. 18. Guest bartending: Ask your local watering hole if you can come and work behind the bar and donate all tips you make back to Bethesda Project. Most bars will also agree to drink specials for the occasion. Invite all your family, friends and their friends to come out. 19. Movie/performing arts ticket donation: Ask your local movie house or theater to donate several tickets. Auction them off and put the money toward your pledges. 20. Host a movie party: Order a new release from Netflix, make some popcorn, and invite your friends and family over for the night. Charge $5 and have plenty of pledge cards out!
It’s #GivingTuesday in Philadelphia! Bethesda Project has joined #GivingTuesday, a first-ofits-kind effort that will harness the collective power of a unique blend of partners—charities, families, businesses and individuals—to transform how people think about, talk about and participate in the giving season. Coinciding with the Thanksgiving Holiday and the kickoff of the holiday shopping season, #GivingTuesday inspires people to take collaborative action to improve their local communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes they support and help create a better world.
This #GivingTuesday, Bethesda Project will be raising awareness of our mission – to find and care for the abandoned poor and to be family with those who have none. Help us spread the word on your social networks by using hashtag #GivingTuesday.
Taking place today, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, #GivingTuesday will harness the power of social media to create a national moment around the holidays dedicated to giving, similar to how Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become days that are, today, synonymous with holiday shopping.
We have a day for giving thanks. Two days to shop—Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Now, we have a day for giving back.
A special thanks to Jenkintown Building Services for supporting Bethesda Project this year with a Gift of Service and to the leadership of BOMA - The Building Owners and Managers Association - for supporting us through a penny drive collection.
An easy way to give back This is the time of year when many Americans will be making charitable donations, and we’d like to share some exciting news. The Giving Library (www.GivingLibrary.org), an online video archive that connects donors to nonprofits, is kicking off a $100,000 “Share to Give” campaign on #GivingTuesday, the national day of giving. This is a way for you to support Bethesda Project this holiday season. All you have to do is share our Giving Library video on Facebook or Twitter, and the Giving Library will donate $5 to us. It’s that simple! Participants can share up to five organizations per month, and the Giving Library will donate up to $100,000 during the campaign. There are no gimmicks and no matching contributions. Please take a minute today to log on to the Giving Library and share our video. How to Share: 1. Visit www.GivingLibrary.org and search for Bethesda Project. 2. Click the photo to access our page then click the “Share Now” button. 3. Create an account if you don’t already have one. 4. Click “Share on Facebook” or “Share on Twitter.” 5. Share either the default message or a message of your choice. 6. Bethesda Project will receive $5 per share (when shared directly from the Giving Library page). Thank you for your support of Bethesda Project on #GivingTuesday!
Volunteers visit Spruce Street.
Volunteers celebrate with residents at Bainbridge.
A very, very happy Thanksgiving This year the Bethesda Cooks and their many friends put together over 700 meals for the residents and guests of Bethesda Project. Their hard work brought our members a traditional turkey dinner menu with all of the fixings. Special thanks go out to Jerry and Karen Leimkuhler, the Bethesda Cooks, Jim Byrnes and the kitchen staff at Aronimink Golf Club and Caley Elementary School PTC in King of Prussia. We love the way you love us! THANK YOU! The ladies at Spruce Street enjoyed a wonderful meal.
Our residents were thankful for the Thanksgiving feast.
What better way to work up an appetite than a trip to the Magic Gardens? Our guests at My Brother’s House enjoyed a delightful tour and even got to meet the artist who created the beautiful place!
2013 HOMELESS MEMORIAL DAY Thursday, December 19, 2013 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. Thomas Paine Plaza, Municipal Services Building 1401 J.F.K. Boulevard, Center City Philadelphia
Remember * Hope * Heal As we approach the first official day of winter, hundreds of Philadelphians will gather to remember those homeless and formerly homeless Philadelphians who died in 2013. We use this occasion to call on all Philadelphians and all Americans to recommit ourselves to ending homelessness. Join Bethesda Project for the 2013 Homeless Memorial Day Like Homeless Memorial Day on Facebook www.facebook.com/HomelessMemorialPhilly Follow Us on Twitter: @HMDPhilly
Saint Norbert's Parish volunteer Michele Howard helps prepare lunch for the Bethesda Bainbridge residents.
At the “everybody’s birthday” celebration, Saint Norbert's volunteer, Sue, is congratulated by Bethesda Bainbridge residents Joe B, David K, and John M.
Medford Middle School volunteers visiting Bethesda Bainbridge
Saint Norbert’s Parish volunteers meet new Senior Case Manager, Lauren T.
Thank you to our volunteers!
Looking for refs and teams! Philadelphia Insurance Companies (PHLY) is hosting a 3-on-3 basketball tournament to benefit Bethesda Project, on Saturday, December 14 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Hagan Arena on St. Joe’s University Campus. Entry fee is $100 per team. Register now at http://phly3on3.evenbrite.com.
Bethesda Project at the Philadelphia Marathon At 6:15 a.m. on Sunday, November 17, the 16-man Team Bethesda rolled out of OBP for our 7th Philadelphia Marathon. Teaming up with the City of Philadelphia and Clothes-Pin (Clothes for People in Need), our intrepid volunteers stationed themselves to follow the runners and gather up discarded running gear. Two hours later we loaded 451 bags of clothing onto our truck for distribution to the city’s homeless men and women. As one of our men commented: “This is recycling that makes a difference!”
In addition, this year two of our very own took part in the Philadelphia Marathon on behalf of Bethesda Project. Jason Miller, Associate Director, Clinical Services/Director of Strategic Initiatives teamed up with Katie Mulcahy, Program Coordinator at Bethesda's North Broad residence for this year's race. The two trained hard for the grueling 26 mile run while supporting Bethesda Project's winter shelter programs with each mile they completed. They have a goal to raise $1,000 and are very close to reaching it! It’s not too late to donate to their efforts. Visit http://www.gofundme.com/bethesdaproject to learn how you can make a difference.
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1630 South Street Philadelphia, PA 19146 Tel: (215) 985-1600 Fax: (215) 732-8214 www.bethesdaproject.org